Christmas 2010

A few pics from our Christmas celebrations. London and Henry opened lots of presents, Henry mostly ate the wrapping paper and London opened everyone's gifts. We had family and friends over for a yummy Christmas dinner. London got a cool scooter from Baba, a cute doll cradle from Grandma Shelley and a dollhouse from Santa. They both got way too many gifts...but I will bring something new out every month so they won't get bored.

Thats as close as London would get to Santa

Lots of gifts for the kids...

Londons new dollhouse

Family

Dancing with Aunt Laura

Already having fun together

Pre-Christmas

A quick post before the Christmas celebrations. Little Henry has decided that he wants to crawl a week before Christmas. I thought I was safe to let the presents sit out, but the little man has decided that he wants to maul and destroy wrapping paper. London is out of school for her holiday break and is going stir crazy in the house trying to body slam Henry and tease Ruben dog. There are lots of festivities at our house with holiday baking and Christmas music playing 24/7. London loved lighting the Chanukah candles and loves Menorahs. I can't wait for the kids to open gifts on Christmas morning and to have the magical experience that I had growing up. The holidays are so great! Stay tuned for the Christmas dinner madness. There is rumor that Auntie Laura may be bringing the guinea pig.

First night of Chanakuh

The three kiddos

"Santa"

I love my binky's

Reading with Dada

I can crawl now

Happy little boy with bottom chompers

Thanksgiving 2010

 We had our annual Thanksgiving celebration at the Nedelmans in OC. It was dinner as usual with 30 plus guests. Idell did a great job with the food. I brought homeade pies and my Mom made her famous rolls. We were lucky to have newly engaged Megan and Nick stay with us. We ran the Santa Monica gobble, gobble race and ate a ton.



The Barbie jeep that the girls took turns driving
 

Gobble, Gobble. I finished even with an injured knee

Meg and Nick with Henry

London loves books

November flying by

Wow! I cannot believe that it is almost December and 2010 is soon going to be behind us. It is my favorite time of the year so I don't want to rush it but can I say, "Is Thanksgiving really here in just two days?" No, we will not be attending any Black Friday specials or shopping at all except...for a wedding dress for my little sis who got engaged just a few weeks ago, so stay tuned for some pics and lots of planning on my end!  This is what we have been doing the last few weeks. London had been enjoying school and all the fun parties and yes she attended a "Lizards and things party" and when I mean things I am referring to exotic reptiles, snakes, crazy spiders, and opossum and did a mention a Kangaroo. Yes London and I touched and feed a baby Kangaroo, now that’s cool! Other than that just a little bit of art with Daddy and lots of trips to the Country Mart. We are excited to have Grandma and Aunt Meg and "Uncle" Nick come to town. Hopefully the weather will clear and flights will be able to make it out.





London still warming up to Henry
Mini Picasso

Halloween Festivities

Another Halloween down. I felt like when Halloween actually arrived that the kids had been in their costumes at least 5 times. Between the pumpkin patch, school dress up and Halloween parties, I am glad that dress up is over, but it was really fun.

The two kiddos at the pumpkin patch

Mom and little Henry at our mommy and me class

London as a bee at the country mart

Pumpkin patch in Santa Monica

London at preschool

The kitty and monkey in Laguna Beach

The fam, Laguna Beach

Meowwwww

My favorite time of the year is here. The Holidays. I love them...Halloween, Thanksgiving, Hannakah, Christmas, New Years...all so fun! I am so thrilled that London got into her costume. It has been a challenge lately to get her in anything besides a "pink dress". We wanted to go to the pumpkin patch last weekend and London had a cute orange tutu and matching shirt to wear but she threw such a fit that she didnt want to wear it that we ended up not going. I decided to let her be a kitty this year. She always gets her face painted as a kitty at this childrens restaurant that we go to and she loves tutu's so I found the perfect costume. We went to a little Halloween party today with some kids from her preschool. Check out the cute pics...lots more too come as we still have another week before Halloween.

Sibling love

Half Birthdays and cupcakes!

Do I really need an excuse to make cupcakes? As Justin reminded me that it was the second time this week that I made them, once because I wanted to try out my new Halloween cupcake liners and twice because it was my kids half birthdays. Not that I ever once celebrated a half birthday growing up but having kids is all about giving your kids what you didn't have or of course doing things differently than your parents did just to say you did.
London of course enjoyed helping me make them and licked the bowl clean; Henry was a good boy and jumped in his exersaucer long enough for me to get them mixed and in the oven. I made sure London ate all her dinner before she was allowed to have one and Justin walked through the door just as she was finishing her last morsel (darn, I almost got away with it). Happy half birthdays little children...London 2.5, Henry 6 months.

Yummy cupcakes

Loved every morsel

Toddler Dinner

Our friend Amanda and her little girl Stella invited some mommies and kiddos over this past Friday night for a playdate and little dinner for the kids. I did not realize that Amanda is such an amazing cook and really went all out for the little girls. She made fresh pasta with a roasted veggie pureed sauce (eggplant, bell peppers), parmasean breaded salmon and zucchini, yummy grilled chicken and cupcakes for dessert. The cupcakes were not your typical cupcakes but healthy ones made with pankcake batter with almond butter and blueberry jam for the frosting. It was all so amazing and so healthy. The little girls had a great time playing and getting into the Halloween mood with pumpkin party favors (they have all known each other since they were little babies). I don't think I have ever been to a playdate quite like this one...yummy!

The group

London's dinner

Yummy

The cupcakes that I ate at least ten!

Some adult fun

Justin and I went to a wedding last weekend sans the kiddos. It was really nice to get out and enjoy ourselves without worrying about diapers, bottles, and whining. It was a beautiful event on the cliffs of Palos Verdes overlooking the Pacific. We had fun dancing and smiling for the photobooth...check out the pics.

"Photo booth"

London's first day of school (preschool)

Well our lttle girl is all grown up and off to school. Not really- she still is our little baby and school is only 10 hours a week. We decided to enroll her so she could get the socialization a little extra stimuli. We found a little school that is so cute. It is basically Pottery Barn kids meets Anthropologie design with Willie Nelson and Pink Floyd streaming through the speakers. Totally our style. Everyone is so nice and so far we have been quite impressed. They have new arts and crafts set up each time she goes and the school warned us that she will get messy so don't send the kids in designer clothes (I still sent her in Juicy for her first day.) London has so far adjusted quite nicely. On the first day London was the only kid hiding when the parents came to pick them up- I guess she wasn't ready to leave yet.

All ready for her big day

Her own backpack stuffed with pull-ups and a stuffed bear

Can't forget our morning cup of joe and almond crossiant

Painting-glad its not my house

So focused on the puzzle

"The streets of Santa Monica"